Reel Big Fish Monkey Around On New Disc

06/21/07 7:00pm

by Daniel Vest (CHARTattack)

Orange County, California ska-punk-pop band Reel Big Fish are known for their cheekiness, and it appears that the sextet are taking a poke at Dire Straits with the title of their sixth studio album.

Monkeys For Nothin' And The Chimps For Free will be released on July 10 by Rock Ridge Music. The 17-track record is the sextet's first studio effort since being released from their contract with Jive Records last year, a deal that the group claim restricted their creativity. Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album came out last year. A few songs on Monkeys For Nothin' are from demo recordings that Jive rejected, though the majority are newly penned.

Derek Gibbs, who previously played with frontman Aaron Barrett and ex-drummer Justin Ferreria in The Forces Of Evil, has taken over bass duties from co-founding member Matt Wong. The man who claims responsibility for dubbing the band Reel Big Fish in the early '90s recently left to look after his growing family.

A sampler of the new album is available on the band's MySpace page. Every order for the LP placed on the band's website before the end of June will receive a discounted pre-sale price and a signed copy. It will also come with a bonus DVD.

"It's everything you ever wanted, needed and never expected from Reel Big Fish," says Barrett of the album.

Reel Big Fish will tour the U.S. with Less Than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto and Against All Authority from July 3 to Aug. 15.

Here are the songs on Monkeys For Nothin' And The Chimps For Free:
"Party Down"
"Another Eff You Song"
"Live Your Dream"
"My Imaginary Friend"
"Slow Down"
"The New Version Of You"
"Will The Revolution Come?"
"Another Day In Paradise"
"Everybody's Drunk"
"Please Don't Tell Her"
"Way Back"
"Hate You"
"Call You"
"Why Do All Girls..."
"I'm Her Man"
"Til I Hit The Ground"
"Cannibal"